The invention relates to a three-way diverter having two paper guide elements which, in the area of the fork in the paper running paths, are pivotably arranged upstream of the dividing points of the paper running paths in such a way that, in a first position, they connect the access to the central outlet and, as a result of one of the paper guide elements in each case being pivoted into a second or third position, one of the outer outlets for the paper run is opened and the other outlets are blocked.
A three-way diverter is disclosed by DE-A 1 499 553. In the case of this three-way diverter, the switching travel and therefore the switching time is too long for specific applications.
The invention is therefore based on the object of shortening the switching time of a three-way diverter.
According to the invention, the object is achieved by the access having a funnel-like taper in the paper running direction and, downstream of the taper in the access, there being on both sides depressions which are sufficiently large that, in the second or third position, they accommodate both leading ends of the paper guide elements in such a way that the latter lie to one side of the paper run.
The invention achieves a not inconsiderable shortening of the switching travel and therefore the switching time, which is relevant to all applications in which a long switching path hampers the achievement of a faster machine run. For this reason, installing the three-way diverter according to the invention in the paper run in a printing machine with digital image generation has proven to be very expedient. The most far-reaching reduction in the switching travel and therefore the switching time can be achieved by the access having a height which exceeds the maximum thickness of papers to be processed by the amount required for smooth-running guidance of these papers.
One expedient refinement provides for each paper guide element to be assigned a sensor for position interrogation. By arranging the two sensors, it is possible to determine which of the three possible paths is open.
Provision is advantageously made for the actuating elements for the paper guide elements to be designed in such a way that they are in the rest position when in the position in which the most used outlet is open. As a result, in the case of current-operated actuating elements, for example in the case of solenoids, current can be saved and there is always a defined position in the event of a power outage.